Tag: May 2017

Fort Wayne Man Larry Norton Nabbed in Heroin & Cocaine Ring
FORT WAYNE, IN – Larry Norton, 66, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, is facing serious time after a federal jury found him guilty of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin and cocaine. The verdict came after a grueling six-day trial presided over by Chief Judge Theresa L. Springmann of the United States…

‘Classified’ Pimp Admits to Brutal Sex Trafficking
SANTA ANA, California – A depraved pimp has confessed to a federal sex trafficking charge, admitting he forced a young woman into prostitution after luring her through Facebook. Lawrence T. Gunn Jr., 33, formerly of Woodland Hills, pleaded guilty yesterday to one count of sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion, a crime that carries…

Viquesney Pleads Guilty
A 21-year-old registered sex offender from Kansas City, Kan., has pleaded guilty to picking up a 16-year-old girl in Virginia and taking her across state lines to have sex with him, according to U.S. Attorney Tom Beall. Logan Viquesney pleaded guilty to one count of interstate transportation of a minor to engage in sexual activity.…

Trucker Garretson Gets Life for Interstate Sex Crimes
FORT SMITH, AR – Clarence C. Garretson, 66, of Van Buren, Arkansas, will spend the rest of his life in federal prison. The former over-the-road trucker was sentenced today to life imprisonment for transporting a minor in interstate commerce with the intent to engage in criminal sexual activity. He also received 15-year concurrent sentences on…

Marrero Mom Pleads Guilty to $536K Healthcare Fraud
Monica Sylvest, a 52-year-old woman from Marrero, Louisiana, has pleaded guilty to health care fraud, according to Acting U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans. From August 2014 through September 2016, Sylvest served as the Practice Administrator for a local pediatric clinic and is accused of embezzling approximately $536,724 in medical reimbursements from the Medicaid program. According…

Ambulance Chiefs Ripped Off $260K
SPRINGFIELD, MO – Two former officials at the Vernon County Ambulance District are facing federal charges after allegedly pilfering over $260,000 from the public service. Tina L. Werner, 51, and James D. McKenzie, 51, both formerly of Nevada, Missouri, were indicted by a grand jury last week, accused of a brazen scheme to line their…

Meth Ring Kingpin Sean Moser Sentenced to Over 17 Years
ELKINS, WEST VIRGINIA – A methamphetamine distribution ring that operated across two states and three North West Virginia counties has met its grim conclusion as twelve individuals were sentenced to a combined 953 months in prison today, according to Acting United States Attorney Betsy Steinfeld Jividen. The investigation, which led to the seizure of hundreds…

Memphis Gunman Gets 10 Years for Robbery, Illegal Firearm
MEMPHIS, TN – Melvin Hutchieson, 29, is facing a decade behind bars after a federal judge slammed him with a 120-month sentence for being a convicted felon illegally possessing a firearm. The sentence, handed down today, stems from a 2015 robbery and subsequent gun charge, a case that highlights the ongoing struggle against violent crime…

Air Force Vet Tairod Pugh Gets 35 Years for ISIS Attempt
Former U.S. Air Force member Tairod Pugh was sentenced to 35 years in federal prison for attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and obstruction of justice, according to the Department of Justice (DOJ). Pugh, a former aircraft mechanic, served in the U.S. Air Force before trying to…

Antelope Airbag Swindler Pleads Guilty
SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Vitaliy Fedorchuk, 28, of Antelope, California, admitted today to bilking customers out of over $95,000 in a brazen scheme to peddle dangerous, counterfeit airbags online. The plea, entered in federal court, brings Fedorchuk one step closer to facing the consequences for putting lives at risk for profit. According to U.S. Attorney Phillip…
